CHAPTER 23. THE GREAT ANTI-PHARISAIC DISCOURSE. This is one of the great discourses peculiar to the first Gospel. That some such words were spoken by Jesus in Jerusalem in the Passion week may be inferred from Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47. The few sentences there reported look like a fragment, just... [ Continue Reading ]
τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τ. μαθηταῖς : the discourse is about scribes and Pharisees, but the audience is conceived to consist of the disciples and the people. Meyer describes the situation thus: in the foreground Jesus and His disciples; a little further off the ὄχλος; in the background the Pharisees.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Introduction to the discourse_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπὶ τ. Μ. καθέδρας, on the seat of Moses, short for, on the seat of a teacher whose function it was to interpret the Mosaic Law. The Jews spoke of the teacher's seat as we speak of a professor's chair. ἐκάθισαν, in effect, a gnomic aorist = _solent sedere_ (Fritzsche), not a case of the aorist used... [ Continue Reading ]
εἴπωσιν, say, in the sense of enjoining; no need therefore of τηρεῖν as in T. R. ποιήσατε καὶ τηρεῖτε : The natural order if the previous τηρεῖν be omitted. The diverse tenses are significant, the former pointing to detailed performance, the latter to habitual observance. Christ here recognises the... [ Continue Reading ]
illustrates the previous statement. δεσμεύουσι, tc., they bind together, like sheaves, heavy backloads of rules. Think, _e.g._, of the innumerable rules for Sabbath observance similar to that prohibiting rubbing ears of corn as work threshing. δυσβάστακτα may be a spurious reading imported from Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
πάντα δὲ, etc., in so far as they comply with their rules they act with a view to be seen of men. This is a repetition of an old charge (Matthew 6). πλατύνουσι γὰρ, etc.: illustrative instances drawn from the phylacteries and the tassels attached to the upper garment, the former being broadened, the... [ Continue Reading ]
The foregoing statement is of course to be taken _cum grano_. Teachers who absolutely disregarded their own laws would soon forfeit all respect. In point of fact they made a great show of zeal in doing. Jesus therefore goes on to tax them with acting from low motives.... [ Continue Reading ]
πρωτοκλισίαν : with religious ostentation goes social vanity, love of the first place at feasts, and first seats (πρωτοκαθεδρίας) in synagogues; an insatiable hunger for prominence.... [ Continue Reading ]
τοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς, the (usual) salutations, in themselves innocent courtesies, but coveted because offered in public places, and as demonstrations of respect. ῥαββί, literally, my great one, like the French _monsieur_; in Christ's time a new title of honour for the Jewish doctors (_vide_ Lightfoot, _Ew... [ Continue Reading ]
ὑμεῖς, _you_, emphatic: the Twelve, an earnest aside to them in especial (an interpolation by the evangelist, Weiss-Meyer), be not ye called Rabbi. μὴ κληθῆτε, “Do not seek to be called, if others call you this it will not be your fault”. Euthy. Zig.... [ Continue Reading ]
πατέρα = abba, another title of honour for the Rabbis (Schöttgen). The clause is to be translated: a father of you call not upon earth = do not pronounce this sacred name with reference to men. _Vide_ Winer, § 64, 4, and _cf._ Hebrews 3:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
καθηγηταί, kindred with ὁδηγοὶ (Matthew 23:16), guides, leaders in thought, desiring abject discipleship from followers. _Gradatio: Rabbi, pater, ductor_, Beng. The threefold counsel shows the intensely anti-prelatic spirit of Jesus. In spite of this earnest warning the love of pre-eminence and lead... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 23:11-12, epeat in substance the teaching of Matthew 20:26 : Matthew 18:4; worth repeating and by no means out of place here.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The seven woes_. There are eight, if we count that in Matthew 23:13 of T. R., but as this ver. is omitted in the best MSS. and appears to be a gloss from Mk. and Lk. I do not count it. _Vide_ notes on Mark 12:40. These woes seem to be spoken directly to the scribes and Pharisees. Weiss regards this... [ Continue Reading ]
ὑποκριταί. _Vide_ at Matthew 6:2. This epithet is applied to the scribes and Pharisees in each of the woes with terrific iteration. κλείετε, ye shut the gates or the doors of the Kingdom of God, conceived as a city or palace. This the real effect of their action, not the ostensible. They claimed to... [ Continue Reading ]
he second woe is the complement of the first: it represents the false guides, as, while utterly incompetent for the function, extremely eager to exercise it. περιάγετε, ye move about, intransitive, the accusative following being governed by περὶ. τ. ξηρὰν, the dry (land), sometimes ὑγρὰ is similarly... [ Continue Reading ]
ὁδηγ. τυφλοί, _blind_ guides, not only deceivers but deceived themselves, lacking spiritual insight even in the simplest matters. Three instances of their blindness in reference to oaths are directly or indirectly indicated: oaths by the temple and the gold of the temple, by the altar and the offeri... [ Continue Reading ]
_The third woe_ refers to the Jesuitry of the scribes in the matter of oaths; the point emphasised, however, is their stupidity in this part of their teaching (_cf._ Matthew 5:33 f.), where Christ's teaching is directed against the use of oaths at all.... [ Continue Reading ]
τίς γὰρ μείζων : Jesus answers this question by asserting the opposite principle to that laid down by the Rabbis: the general includes and is more important than the particular, which He applies to all the three cases (Matthew 23:17; Matthew 23:19; Matthew 23:22). This is the more logical position,... [ Continue Reading ]
_The fourth woe_ refers to tithe-paying (Luke 11:42). ἀποδεκατοῦτε : a Hellenistic word = ye pay tithes, as in Genesis 28:22; to take tithes from in Hebrews 7:5-6. ἡδύοσμον, ἄνηθον, κύμινον : garden herbs mint (literally, sweet smelling), dill, also aromatic, cumin (_Kümmel_, German) with aromatic s... [ Continue Reading ]
διϋλίζοντες (διὰ and ὕλη, Passow), a little used word, for which Hesychius gives as a synonym, διηθέω, to strain through. τὸν κώνωπα, τὴν κάμηλον, _the_ gnat, _the_ camel: article as usual in proverbial sayings. The proper object of the former part is οἶνον : straining the wine so as to remove the u... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fifth woe_, directed against externalism (Luke 11:39-41). τῆς παροψίδος, the dish, on which viands were served. In classics it meant the meat, not the dish (τὸ ὄψον οὐχὶ δὲ τὸ ἀγγεῖον, Phryn., p. 176). Rutherford (New Phryn., p. 265) remarks that our word “dish” has the same ambiguity. ἔσωθεν δὲ γέ... [ Continue Reading ]
φαρισαῖε τυφλέ : change from plural to singular with increased earnestness, and a certain friendliness of tone, as of one who would gladly induce the person addressed to mend his ways. καθάρισον : if ἐξ, Matthew 23:25, is taken = by, then this verb will mean: see that the wine in the cup be no more... [ Continue Reading ]
παρομοιάζετε, in [128] ὁμοιάζετε, under either form an _hapaxleg._ κεκονιαμένοις (from κονία, dust, slaked lime), whitewashed, referring to the practice of whitewashing the sepulchres in the month Adar, before passover time, to make them conspicuous, inadvertent approach involving uncleanness. They... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sixth woe_, referring to no special Pharisaic vice, but giving a graphic picture of their hypocrisy in general (_cf._ Luke 11:44).... [ Continue Reading ]
οὕτω, etc.: the figure apposite on both sides; the Pharisaic character apparently saintly; really inwardly, full of godlessness and immorality (ἀνομίας), the result being gross systematic hypocrisy.... [ Continue Reading ]
οἰκοδομεῖτε, may point to repair or extension of old buildings, or to new edifices, like some modern monuments, the outcome of dilettante hero-worship. τάφους, μνημεῖα, probably synonyms, though there may have been monuments to the dead apart from burying places, to which the former word points. προ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Final woe_ (Luke 11:47-48), dealing with yet another phase of hypocrisy and a new form of the contrast between without and within; apparent zeal for the honour of deceased prophets, real affinity with their murderers.... [ Continue Reading ]
λέγετε : they not merely thought, or said by deed, but actually so pointed the moral of their action, not trusting to others to draw the inference. ἤμεθα, not in classics, ἤμην the usual form of sing. in N. T. being also rare; the imperfect, but must be translated in our tongue, “if we had been”. Fo... [ Continue Reading ]
ὥστε, with indicative expressing result = therefore. ἑαυτοῖς, to and against yourselves. Jesus reads more meaning into their words than they intended: “our fathers”; yes! they _are_ your fathers, in spirit as well as in blood.... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ, and, as ye have called yourselves their sons, so show yourselves to be such indeed (Weiss). πληρώσατε. The reading πληρώσετε is due to shrinking from the idea conveyed by the imperative. To the same cause is due the permissive (Grotius _al._) or ironical (De W.) senses put upon the imperative.... [ Continue Reading ]
wful ending to a terrific charge, indicating that the men who are predestined to superlative wickedness are appropriately doomed to the uttermost penalty. ὄφεις, γεν. ἐχιδνῶν; already stigmatised as false, fools, blind, they are now described as venomous, murderous in thought and deed. _Cf._ Matthew... [ Continue Reading ]
διὰ τοῦτο. The sense requires that this be connected with both Matthew 23:32-33. The idea is that all God's dealings with Israel have been arranged from the first so as to ensure that the generation addressed shall fill up the measure of Israel's guilt and penalty. The reference of ἀποστέλλω is not... [ Continue Reading ]
_Peroration_ (Luke 11:49-51).... [ Continue Reading ]
ὅπως ἔλθῃ : divine intention read in the light of result. God sent messengers that they might be killed, and that Israel by killing them might deserve to suffer in the final generation wrath to the uttermost. _Vide_ on Matthew 22:7. αἴμα, thrice named: “ter hoc dicitur uno hoc versu magna vi,” Benge... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀμὴν : solemn introduction of a statement terrible to think of: sins of countless generations accumulating for ages, and punished in a final representative generation; true, however terrible.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἱερουσαλήμ, the Hebrew form of the name, exceptional in Mt., very appropriate to the solemn situation. Twice spoken; why? “It is the fashion of one pitying, bewailing, and greatly loving,” Chrys. ἀποκτείνουσα, λιθοβολοῦσα : present participles, denoting habit and repute, now and always behaving so k... [ Continue Reading ]
_Apostrophe to the Holy City_ (Luke 13:34). Εἶτα πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἀποστρέφει τὸν λόγον. Chrys., H. lxxiv.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἰδοὺ, etc., solemn, sorrowful abandonment of the city to its fate. ἀφίεται ὑμῖν, spoken to the inhabitants of Israel. ὁ οἶκος ὑ., your house, _i.e._, the city, not the temple; the people are conceived of as one family. ἔρημος, wanting in [129] [130], and omitted by W.H [131], is not necessary to the... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀπʼ ἄρτι, from this moment, Christ's prophetic work done now: it remains only to die. ἕως ἂν εἴπητε : a future contingency on which it depends whether they shall ever see Him again (Weiss in Meyer). He will not trouble them any more till their mood change and they be ready to receive Him with a Mess... [ Continue Reading ]